Transport minister accepts lifetime membership to Qantas platinum

Transport Minister Catherine King has accepted a lifetime membership to Qantas’ platinum frequent flyer rewards tier less than two years after MPs ceremonially handed over their membership to the airline’s VIP lounge following public backlash.

The minister, whose responsibilities include aviation and the courting of airlines to make use of the new Western Sydney International Airport, quietly updated her register of interests on Monday to reflect the gift she received from the airline.

The airline’s second-highest tier, behind platinum one, offers free access to first and business class lounges across the globe, additional baggage allowance, priority check-in, boarding and baggage access. It also offers priority upgrades and seat selection.

A Qantas frequent flyer would need to accrue 1400 status credits in a year to qualify for the platinum tier. A discount economy ticket between Sydney and Melbourne garners 10 points, meaning a traveller would need to fly between the capitals 140 times to reach the tier.

A lifetime membership to the tier requires 75,000 status credits, or 7500 Sydney to Melbourne flights.

In November 2024, a raft of federal MPs including Community Strong Australia representative Allegra Spender quit the VIP lounges of Qantas and Virgin after a furore over flight upgrades and special treatment for politicians.

The saga began after the publication of an extract of The Chairman’s Lounge by journalist Joe Aston, published in Good Weekend, claimed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had received at least 22 free Qantas upgrades over the past decade, and that he had liaised directly with former Qantas chief Alan Joyce over upgrades.

Albanese admitted at the time that he spoke to Joyce about two non-commercial trips with Qantas but said these had also included Liberal ministers and media companies. He said he did not ever ask Joyce for an upgrade and his office said this denial meant there were no calls, texts, emails or other communications with the former Qantas boss.

In 2023, King was thrown into the spotlight for denying a Qatar Airways bid to double their flights into Australia, a move that many in the industry said would have lowered ballooning travel costs for Australians.

The minister updated her register of interests with the alteration added under the title “gifts”. The membership came with a travel wallet and bag tag.

King misspelled the tier’s name in her declaration, writing that she was a member of the “Platnium” tier.

King’s office was contacted for comment. A spokeswoman for King told the Australian Financial Review – who first reported the gift – that the minister received the status by virtue of the extent to which she has travelled with the airline.

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